Rotary printing-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1..

J. L. FIRM. v ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE.

No. 410,271. Patented Sept. 3, 1889.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

- J. L. FIRM.

ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE.

No. 410,271. Patented Sept. 3, 1889.

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Sheet 3.

3 Sheets (No Model.)

4 J. FIRM.

ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE.

Patented Sept a. rnzns Noun-0 m. Wlminglon. n c,

1 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH L. FIRM, OF J RsEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

ROTARY PRINTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,271, dated September 3118 9. Application filed October 27, l888.i Serial No. 289,298. (No model.)

half the double webs in the various relative positions in which they are placed by the machine. Fig. dis a side view of the machine. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 7 is a plan view, with the inking apparatus'removed. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the folding mechanism detached. I Fig. 9 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are details. i

The machine shown is adapted for printing and folding three double webs, though of course the invention has a wider application. The total machine may be divided into two parts-namely, the printing-machine, shown particularly at the right of Figs. 5, 6, and 7, and the folding-machine, shown at the left of those figures'and in Figs. 8 and 9. The three webs a, b, and c are passed through the printing-machine separately and brought together, one above the other, between the rollers 1 and 2 of Fig. 6 in the relative position indicated in Fig. 1, (which shows only one longitudinal half of each web,) there being four pages printed abreast on each web, the two on one side of the central line in all the webs belonging to the same newspaper, and the two on the other side of thecentral line on all the webs belonging to another newspaper, the three webs being adapted for making twelvepage newspapers. The two upper pages on the top web will be numbered 6 and 7. Those on one side of the central line of the webs will be in the reversed position to those on the other sidethat is to say, on one side they will travel top foremost and on the other side of the central line they will travel bottom to remost, asindicated by the position of the words page 6 and page 7 in Figs. 7 and 9. This arrangement is useful for enabling the folding-machine, hereinafter described, to fold those on one side of the central line in the same way as those on the otherside. As the webs pass between the rolls 1 and 2, Fig. 6,111 the superposed position indicatedin Fig. 1, they will be split longitudinally along the central line y, so as to separate the two pages on one side of this line from the twopages on the other. Each half of the webs is then folded on the lines 7 r and -rand a cross-cut is made across the folded webs on the line .2, so

as to separate the longitudinally-succeeding pages. The cut thus severed from the web is then folded on the line :17, Fig. 3, into the form shown in Fig. 4, where there will bea fold transversely across the paper at the middle of 1 Mechanism for applying paste is the pages. provided, so that when the webs are brought together, as shown in Fig. 1, those above will be pasted to those below on the lines '1', 1, r It is to manipulate the newspaper as above described that the machine which I am about to'describe is designed. a, b, and o are the rolls from which the webs are drawn, and I will designate each web by a letter correspondin g with its roll.

3, 4, 5, G, 7, and 8 are form-cylinders, each of which contains the type for eight pagesfour on each semi-circu mference, as shown in an application filed by me,Serial No. 260,980. The four pages on one end of the cylinder are reversed with respect to the four pages on the other end of the cylinder, so that those on the one half move top foremost and those on the other half move bottom foremost. Each formcylinder is thus adapted for printing upon each half of the web corresponding pages.

Thus each half-turn of the cylinder-3 will print abreast on the upper surface of each half of the web a the pages 6 and 7. Again,

the cylinder a will print on the under surface of each half of the web a the pages 5 and 8. Again, the cylinder 5 will print on the upper surface of each half of the web 1) the pages 4 and 9. Again, the cylinderG will print onthe under surface of each half of the web b pages 3 and 10. Again, the cylinder 7 will print upon the upper surface of each half of the web 0 pages 2 and 11, and again, the cylinder 8 will print upon the lower surface of each half of the web 0 pages 1 and 12. It will be observed that all of these form-cylinders are arranged substantially in the same horizontal plane.

9 10 11 12 13 14, all in the same horizonta plane, are the impressionrcylinders to co-opcrate with the form-cylinders. 15, 16, and 17 areguide-rollers to properly direct the ders.

18 19 2O 21 22 are rollers, by which paste is applied to the margins r r r underneath the webs a and b and on the top of the web 0. It'

is supplied to the rollers 19 and 21 from suitable paste-receptacles and 24, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

1 and 2 are rollers, one of which is centrally girt by a radially-projecting knife, which moves in a groove in the opposite roller and serves to split the three webs longitudinally through the middle on the margin y, similar to the apparatus described in said application, Serial No. 260,980. 7

"25 is a friction-roller, around which the webs pass in the superposed position shown in Fig. 1. The rollers shown in the drawings above the level of the form-rollers are inking-rollers, the construction of which is so well known as not to need description. It will be noticed, however, that in my press the form and impression rollers are arranged in Substantially horizontal rows, the inking mechanism being above and the delivery mechanism below the same.

The webs now proceed to the mechanism whereby they are folded, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

26 and 27 are a pair, and 28 and 29 are another pair, of rollers placed at right angles to and above the roller 25 and arranged so that the line between each pair is about opposite the central line 7" of each half a a, Fig. 8, of the split web. Below the rollers 26, 27, 28, and 29 are smaller rollers 75, 76, 77, and 78, which are arranged to bear against the paper as it passes from the roller 25 to the foldingroller, actin gas guides and insuring a smooth passage. The two halves of the split webs now proceed in opposite directions; but since the mechanism employed in the treatment of one half is a duplicate of the mechanism employed in the treatment of the other, the description of one (that for treating a) will be sufiicient. The webs a then, consisting of the three webs, one above the other, pass between the rollers 28 and 29, by which they are folded longitudinally, so that the pages 6 and 7 are brought together face to face, the fold being 011 the marginal lines 4', r, and 7' between the pages. The roller 28 is provided with diametrically-opposite longitudinal surface knives 30 and 31, which match the grooves 32 and 33 in the roller 29, and are of a character to perforate the webs a transversely on the margin between each two succeeding pages. The nature of this arrangement is fully described in Patent No. 374,355, granted to me. The webs thus transversely perforated, but not completely severed, are passed around the roller 29 and under the roller 34 to the roller or cylinder 35. Tapes 36 pass around the rollers 34 and 37 and in contact with the surface of the cylinder 35, so as to insure the passage of the webs onto the surface of the cylinder 35.

webs upon the impression-cylin 37 is a roller provided at four equidistant lines in its circumference with two rows of pins 38 and 39 and two knife-edges 40 and 41. The pins are fastened upon a rod 60, as shown in Fig. 12, which is embedded in the surface of the cylinder and has bearings at each end in which it may rotate. It is held in such position that the pins project radially by the spiral springs 61, which, however, admit of the pins under pressure being drawn backward in the opposite direction to that in which the cylinder revolves. Indentations are made in the surface of the roll 35 to receive the pins 38 and 39, which, as the forward edge of the web comes between the rollers 37 and 35, impale the same and'carry'itup onto the surface of the roll 37, as that roll revolves in the direction of the arrow and as shown in Fig. 10. These pins being mounted upon a rocker-shaft controlled by a spring, as already stated, a considerable pull in a backward direction will rock them in the opposite direction to that in which the roller 37 moves, so as to drop their hold upon the forward edge of the web. Then the pins, still engaged with the forward edge of the web, have advanced a given distance the knife edge 40 will strike the web transversely across the center of the page, and will force the center of the page into the jaws of a line of grippers, of which there are-four sets, 43, 44, 45, and 46, on the surface of the cylinder 35. Each member of each row of grippers may of itself constitute a spring mounted upon a stationary rod, as 62, Fig. 10, or all those in each row may be mounted upon an oscillating shaft 63, controlled by a spiral spring 64, as in Fig. 11. In either case the fold of the paper is grasped with a yielding pressure between the nose of the gripper and the adjacent edge of the cylinder-surface, as shown clearly in Fig. 10. The act of forcing the'webs into the jaws of these grippers will produce so much of astrain between that portion of the web with which the knife-edge 40 comes in contact and the portions of the web following the same as to completely tear off the webs on the line of perforations made by the knife 30 or 3.1,as the case may be, and the section of the webs grasped transversely by the grippers will then be carried along independently of what follows and fold foremost on the surface of the cylinder 35. hat was previously the forward edge of this section will be dragged off of the pins engaging it on the surface of roller 37 and be brought down over what was previously the rear edge of this section, so that the paper will enter between the tapes 47 and the cylinder 35 fold foremost, being held at the fold by the line of grippers. As the grippers, however, come between the roll 35 and the roll 48,they will be opened by the backward pressure of the roll48 upon their projecting tops and will release the paper, so that the latter will be carried off of the roll 35 between the tapes 49 and the roll 48, said tapes passing around the cylinder 35 and the roll 50. At this point IOC the gripping-tapes 51, similar to those described in Patent No. 176,401, granted to me,

will engage the paper and it will be carried forward and deposited in the pile at 52 folded, as indicated at Fig. 4. A corresponding pile will be deposited at the opposite end of the machine at 53.

If, as in the machine shown in the drawings, the cylinder 35 is provided with four rows of grippers and the cylinder 37 with two knife-edges, the former cylindershould be twice as large as the latter, and the knives upon the cylinder 37 will be so arranged that one always coacts properly with each row of grippers, the pins being arranged so as to always impale the incoming cut of paper close to its forward edge. The tapes 49 will be somewhat embedded in grooves 66 in the surface of cylinder 35, so as to admit of crowding the fold of paper into the grasp of the grippers. Tapes 47 may be provided passing around rollers and 48 to assist in thetransfer of the paper to the roller 48.

I do not limit "myself to the form of mechanism described, since I am aware that it may be varied inconstruction and number of parts to a greatextent without departing from the principle of my invention.

I claim- 1. In combination, the form and impression cylinders adapted for printing separately the two webs a and b, so that each shall contain four pages abreast upon each side, rollers whereby said webs are brought together so as to register, a knife whereby they are split longitudinallyalong the central margin, rollers at right angles to the printing-cylinders, whereby each longitudinal half of the split webs is folded longitudinally, the knife whereby the same is severed transversely, two duplicate pairs ofcylinders 35 and 37, whereby each pair of the split webs is received once folded, each of said pairs of cylinders being provided on one member of the pair with grippers adapted to grip four thicknesses of paper and upon the other member of the pair with tucking projections and impaling-pins, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary printing-machine adapted for printing four pages abreast on the web, in combination, the form and impression cylinders, a knife whereby said web is split longitudinally on the central margin, two pairs of rollers at right angles with the cylinders for folding each half of the split web longitudinally, and so arranged that the bight between each pair of folding-rollers is opposite the point of the delivery-roller where the margin to receive the fold passes over, and a knife for severing each longitudinal half of the split web, whereby the web received from the printingmachine is, without reversing, divided, folded, and severed so as to produce simultaneously and by direct movement two four-page pamphlets or newspapers, snbstantially as described.

3. In combination with a rotary printingmachine adapted for printing four pages abreast upon the web, a folding-machinehav- 'ing in combination the roller 25, arranged at the bottom thereof, the folding-rollers 26 27 and 28 29 at right angles with the roller 25, and having their axes in substantially the halves of the web are conducted over the folding-rollers 26 and 29 toward opposite ends of the folding-machine, mechanism whereby the fonts from the longitudinal halves of the web are delivered, respectively, at opposite ends of the folding-machine, substantially as described. I

4. In a rotary press, in combination, the impression-cylinders, the form-cylinders, the page-forms so arranged upon the form-cylinders as to print four pages abreast upon the web, those upon one longitudinal half of the web being the inverse of those upon the other, a knife whereby the Web is split longitudi-- nally on the central margin, the folding-rollers at right angles with the printing-rollers, whereby each half of the split web is folded longitudinally, knives whereby each half of the web is severed transversely, mechanism whereby the halves of the web are conducted from the folding-rollers, respectively, to the right and to the left of the press, and mechanism whereby each cut is fold ed transversely,

substantially as described. i

5. In a rotary press adapted for printing a plurality of webs, in combination, the formcylinders located in a horizontalrow, the impression-cylinders located in a second horizontal row beneath the first, the rollers where by the several web's are brought together and conveyed to the foldingimechanism, rollers located substantially on a level with the printingcylinders and atright angles thereto, whereby the webs are folded longitudinally, knives whereby the folded webs are severed transversely, mechanism whereby the webs are conveyed horizontally to the side of the machine, and mechanism whereby each cut on the webs is folded transversely, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the form and impression cylinders adapted for printing a plurality of webs, the rollers by which said webs are collected one upon another, the rollers bywhich said collected Webs are folded longitudinally, and a knife by which the same are severed transversely, the said folding rollers and transversely-severing knife being located at right angles with the printing-rollers, where by the webs, having been printed and collected, make only one change in the direction of feed while being printed, folded, andcut, substantially as described.

7. In combination, the form and impression cylinders adapted to print a plurality of webs, the rollers parallel thereto, by which said Webs IIO are collected, the knife by which said Webs are split longitudinally, the folders at right angles with the printing-cylinders, whereby each half of the Webs is folded longitudinally, the rotary knives parallel with said folders, whereby each half of the webs is severed transversely, and mechanism whereby the cuts from the respective halves of said webs are delivered to the right and to the left of the machine, substantially as described.

8. In combination, the cylinders 35 and 37, the grippers mounted upon the former, the projections" mounted upon the latter and adapted to tuck the paper into the jaws of the grippers, pins also mounted on the cylinder 37 and adapted to impale the forward edge of the paper, whereby the forward edge is held so long as it is traveling in advance of the portion tucked Within the jaws of the gripper, and by which it is released when pulled by the grippers in the opposite direction to that in which the cylinder 37 revolves, and the tapes l9 and 47, whereby the paper is re ceived upon being released from the grippers, the whole being so arranged that the paper while undergoing the operation of folding and delivering is under constant control of the parts named to avoid clogging of the maehine, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the cylinder 35, the grippers mounted thereon, the cylinder 37, the tucking projections and impaling-pins IHOLU] ted thereon, the severing-cylihdersZti and 27, and the tapes 36, passing between the cylinders 35 and 37 and adapted to hold the paper upon the surface of the latter as itpasses to the ing operation, the severingknife, the grippers, the tucker, and the impaling-pins being so arranged on their respective cylinders and the motions of said cylinders being so timed that the paper is impaled upon the pins just behind each cut of the severingknife and the tucker and grippers operate upon the paper half-way between every two 

